Language, as a universal human trait, is so second-nature
to mankind, that its subtleties in interaction have often been
taken as a matter of course. Deeply ingrained folklore about
language has existed from the days of the ancients and persists
into so-called ‘rational’ modern civilization. The affect associated with language and its role in distinguishing in- and
out- groups can be annotated by historical reference; for example, the ancient Greeks used the word ‘baba’ to describe the
babblings of those unfortunates not gifted with the gods’ own
Greek tongue - hence the origin of the word ‘barbarian’. The
supposed magical qualities of words, in spells and incantations,
are thoroughly documented in anthropological studies. Today,
we find numerous examples of the affect attached to words
language wars, name-calling, the informal definition of a
cultured person as one who can converse in a foreign language,
etc. These illustrations merely point out the complex and often
under-the-surface relationship between language and other phases
of human activity.
Research on language has not been confined to the sphere of any one discipline. One can be led into a myriad of viewpoints within the traditional disciplines and of course, philosophy. This paper tends to be somewhat eclectic in its orientation toward language, as often the approach of one discipline proves to inadequate in insight or restrictive in treatment.